Apparatus for milking cattle.



C. G. HAWLEY.

APPARATUS FOR AATLKlNG CATTLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7.1912.

v Patented A110". 14, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

ila/if." flim @Umewesi {MAMMA/AAO C. G. HAWLEY.

APPARATUS FOR MILKING CATTLE. APPLICATION man AUG.7.1912.

l ,Q36943 l Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

3 SHEETSf--SHEET 2.

F95 14 Mm fr f4 6 l- 14@ @y W7 C.v G. HAWLEY.

APPARATUS FOR M|LKTNG CATTLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. |912.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.'

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W M W CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR MILI-{ING CATTLE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

)Patented Aug. let, 1191"?,

Application led August 7, 1912. Serial No. 713,811.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have` inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Milking Cattle, ofwhich the following is a. full, true, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of milking cattle bymechanical means and has partlcular reference to pneumatic, or vacuummilking systems.

The object of my invention is to provide a mechanical means with whichto milk cows, which will, in a practical sense, simulate the action ofthe calf in sucking and thus cause the animal to give down or, in otherwords, permit, its milk to How freely and rapidly in a natural manner.

A further object is to provide means in combination with a substantiallyconstant vacuum, which will automatically produce a pulsating actionupon the teat and thereby gently excite the glands of the udder and teatto a sufficient degree to cause the milk to How freely.

My invention resides in a means of milking cattle which consists inapplying the action of a substantially constant vacuum to the teat andfor automatically and periodically reducing or stopping the action ofthe vacuum upon the teat according to the quantity of milk Howingtherefrom.

Further `my invention consists in the combination with a substantiallyconstant vacuum and communication between the vacuum and ateat cup, ofmeans interposed between the vacuum and the teat cup for automaticallyreducing the vacuum action upon the teat according to the quantity ofmilk Howing therefrom.

AA fundamental feature of my invention resides in the application of thefamiliar law in physics known as the law of surface or capillaryattraction, and which may be stated as the attraction of the surface ofa body, for a liquid. I adapt this law to the production of a pneumaticor vacuum milking system by placing a laminated plug or stopper in thetube which connects the vacuum vessel with the teat cup, and which is soformed that it presents a plurality of minute or small passages whichallow air to pass freely but which act to retard the passage of aliquid, due to the surface attraction of the walls of the passage forthe liquid. In kother words these laminated plugs, Stoppers or damspermit the milk tobe slowly drawn through them by the action of thevacuum, during which time the passing milk shuts 0H the vacuum from theteat and when the plug is free of milk the air is drawn rapidly throughthe plug and the vacuum again draws upon and expands the teat. I thusnot only produce an intermittent or pulsating action of the vacuum uponthe teat but this action is regulated by and corresponds with thequantity of milk Howlng from the teat. That is to say if the milk Howscontinuously from the teat there is substantially no action of thevacuum thereon as it is shut 0H' by the flowing milk which fills thepassages in the plug, but if the milk Hows only in small quantities ordrops, the vacuum is shut 0H' from the teat only during the intervalthat is consumed in the passage of this small quantity of milk throughthe plug, when the vacuum is again applied to the teat. This actionresults in gentle and widely separated pulls by the vacuum in thebeginning or when the milk Hows freely and sharper and more frequentaction during the stripping process or when the milk Hows in smallquantities or drops.

My invention further consists in the combination with a substantiallyconstant vacuum and means associated therewith for periodically applyingthe action of the vacuum to the teat, of a teat cup formed to cause thesurface of the teat to contact with the inner wall of the cup when thevacuum is applied to the teat.

A further feature of my invention resides in a teat cup formed withwalls sufficiently flexible so that when the vacuum is applied to thecup the walls will be drawn in slightly to produce a gentle pressureupon the body of the teat while leaving its lower end free to beexpanded by the action of the vacuum.

My invention also consists in various features of 'construction andcombinations of parts, all as hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional diagrammatic view of an apparatus which I havefound to be best adapted for carrying out my improved method;

Fi 2 is a top plan view of a base connection or four teat cups;

Fig. 3 is a full sized longitudinal section of a teat cup embodying myinvention;

um connection illustrating a form in which one vacuum regulating plug isconnected to four teat cups; i e

Fig. 5 is an end view of a laminated plug formed from a fiat sheet offlexible metal rolled up into cylindrical form;

-Fi 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the center hole of theplug filled by means of a solid stopper;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. v5 but showing the plugrpartly unrolledand in condition to be wiped ofil or cleansed;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of a form of laminated plug made up of apile of rectangular plates of thin metal;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the plug illustrated in Fig. 8 clearly showingthe contracted passages therethrough;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are similar plan views of plates used in theproduction of the laminated plugs illustrated in Fig, 8, andillustrating the method of producing plugs of varying lengths;

Fig. 13 illustrates a teat cup arranged to gently irritate or excite thesurfaceof the teat; and

Fig. 14 illustrates a further modified form of teat cup.

The cow milking apparatus as illustrated in Fig. 1 consists 1n aplurality of teat cups or chambers 1 mounted upon and connected to ahollow base member 2 which is connected to and communicates with avacuum vessel 3 maintained under a substantially constant vacuum. Asufficient number of the teat cups 1 are provided so that one of thecups may be provided for each teat, of the animal which is to be milked,and are -connected by flexible connections 4 with the base member 2, sothat they will be free to assume their proper positions relatively toeach other. The base member 2 is connected to the vacuumvessel 3 bymeans of a liexible connection or hose 5. and the relation between thebase member 2 and the vessel 3 should be such that the milk can iowfreely from the base 2 into the vessel 3 by gravity, although in Fig. 1,which is a diagrammatic view the base 2 is illustrated as below the topof the vessel 3. The vacuum vessel 3 serves as a collecting chamber forthe milk and is provided with a cover member 6 hermetically sealedthereto and` to which is attached a connection 7 com-l municating withsuitable means, such as a vacuum pump, for producing a substantiallyvided with a plurality of connections 8 hermetically sealed thereto andto which the hose leading from different sets of teat cups may beconnected. Each of these hose connections is provided with a three wayvalve 9 which as illustrated in Fig. 1 may be turned to connect its hosewith the vacuum Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a vacu-` vessel ormay be arran ed to connect its hose through-a vent 10 wlth theatmosphere, whereby the vacuum remaining in the hose, is destroyed andthe teat cups may' be readily removed from the teats. The cover member 6is tapered or upwardly flared at its outer rim and is adapted toloe-wedged tightly within the upper end of the vacuum vessel. A softpacking ring 11 is provided to insure an a1r tight joint between the.

cover and the vessel. To further secure the cover tothe vessel lockingdevices 12 of usual form are provided which interlock the cover with thevessel and draw it firmly down into place therein.

The base 2 is provided with an upwardly projecting nozzle 13 for each ofthe teat cups and within the nozzle is mounted a laminated plug orstopper 14 which is adapted to completely fill the nozzle or connectionand provide therein a plurality of thin or capillary-like passagesconnecting the teat cup with the chamber 15 in the base 2. As notedheretofore these laminated plugs or Stoppers allow the air to be drawn-freely therethrough while serving to retard the passage o f the milk.In other words they offer practically no resistance to the passage ofthe air from the teat chamber to the vacuum vessel, but when the milkflows from the teat and reaches the lami- 'nated plug, the liquid, inbeing drawn through the capillary-like passages in the plug, shuts offthe action of the vacuum from the teat chamber, and the passages in theplug retard the passage of the liquid therethrough and therefore act torelieve the teat from the action of the vacuum durmg the period of saidpassage. The action of the vacuum on the teat is therefore what might betermed in a sense, pulsating and ,drawn through the plug 14 into thevacuum chamber and the vacuum would practically Inot act upon the teatdirectly at all. When,

however, the milk stops flowing and is drawnl through the plug, freeingthe plug from liquid, the vacuum draws the air from the teat chamber andacts quickly and directly upon the teat. It is thus seen that where foranyreason the milk flows slowly 'or in drops from the teat, the periodicactions of the vacuum thereon are closely related and are more or lesssudden and vigorous, which is a. desirable condition as this occursduring what is termed the stripping process or after the bulk of themilk has been withdrawn from the animal.

As different animals, and also sometimes the various teats of a singleanimal, require varied or different effects of the vacuum lthereon toproduce the best results, I have provided means for'varying the actionof the vacuum upon the dilferent teat chambers, by providing a removableWasher or collar 15 arranged at the upper end ofthe plug 14 having acentral opening 16, which hole may be of different sizes in differentwashers, a small hole being used where a gentle action of the vacuum isdesired and a larger one where a more vigorous action is necessary.

In dairy practice it is very desirable that all of the apparatus used inconnection with milk should be so arranged that it can be easily andthoroughly cleansed. I therefore arrange the various parts of my novelmilking apparatus so that they may be easily separated and assembled forcleansing purposes. In Fig. 3 I have illustrated one .of the individualteat cups in slightly modied form having a tapered shell 20, forming ateat chamber 21 in its upper end and provided with a soft rubber teatconnection or ring 22 upon its upper end. The lower end 23 of the shellprovides a cylindrical chamber 24 for the laminated plug 14. A hoseconnection 25 is provided telescopically litting upon the casing 20 andconnected thereto by means of a bayonet joint connection 26 by means ofwhich the teat cup may be readily moved from the hose connection. Acup-like screen 27 is provided which is loosely mounted in the lower endof the chamber 21 and serves to prevent dirt or hair from passing to thelaminated plug 14. It is sometimes desirable to remove the teat cup fromthe teat Without operating the valveon the cover ofthe vacuum vessel andI therefore provide a vent opening 28 in the wall of the teat cup whichis normally closed by the spring actuated plug 29. This plug 29 ismounted upon 'a spring 30 having a thumb latch 31 by means of which theplug may be raised to open the vent 28 and thereby destroy the vacuumWithin the teat chamber so that the cup may be readily removed from theteat.

Figs. 5 to 12 inclusive illustrate various forms of laminated plugs orStoppers. These plugs are formed as has been stated to provide aplurality of thin or capillarylike passages through which the vacuum candraw the milk and I prefer to form the plugs so that the various platesor layers of which they are composed may be readily separated in orderthat they may be easily cleaned, but it will be understood that theycould be made in such form that they could not be separated easily, inwhich case they could be cleansed by means of a steam jet or some otherconvenient method.

As illustrated in Fig, 5, I sometimes form the plugs 14 from a pluralityof telescopically intertting tubes beginning at the center with a tubeof very small diameter and gradually increasing in diameter until thenecessary or desired diameter of plug is reached. relative position bythe frictional contact between them which can be increased by slightlydeforming the tubes before they are placed in position or by any otherconvenient means.

The plug illustrated in Fig. 6 is made by winding or rolling a sheet ofieXible nonspring metal which is rolled up into cylindrical form, theconcentric layers of the material being separated by thin spaces. Thesespaces may be produced by the inequalities of the metal plate itself,that is, the metal plate not being exactly lat it will contact invarious places and between the contacting portions will be held out ofcontact thereby forming thin capillary-like passages through the plug.

In forming a laminated plug by rolling up a strip of soft metal uponitself into cylindrical form a small open passage 14 is left extendinglongitudinally through the center of the plug and as this passage wouldallow the milk to be drawn through the plug too quickly I stop it ofi'or lill it by means of a pin or rivet 14 having a head 14. The head 14rests upon the upper end of the plug 14 and retains the pin 14 inposition. In Fig. 7 I have illustrated the plug as being partly unrolledand laid upon a table in condition to be washed or cleansed. In makinguse 0f plugs of this kind, they can be unrolled and cleaned` and thenrerolled into cylindrical form, frequently, without destroying theutility of the metal. The metal of which these plugs are made ispreferably non-corrosive, t'. e. not deleteriously affected by thelacteal fluids. The plug illustrated in Fig. 8 is formed of a series orpile of rectangular plates 32 which are held out of contact with eachother by means of small pressed projections 32 formed in the body of theplate. rIhe plates 32 are separably associated together to the end thatthey may be readily cleaned. It will be understood that the socket inwhich the plugs are placed takes its shape from the shape of the plugwhich is mounted therein, that is, a socket in which a cylindrical plugis used would be cylindrical, and one in which a plug, such asillustrated in Fig. 8 is used would be rectangular in cross section.

In arranging my system to meet the necessary requirements, I have foundit desirable to provide a further means of regulating the action of thevacuum upon the teat, that is,

These various tubes are held in in some instances it is desirable toreduce the time intervening between the successive actions of the vacuumupon the teat. This I accomplish by making plugs of various lengths sothat the time required for the milk to be drawn through the plug may bevaried. In Figs. 10, l1 and 12, I have illustrated side elevations ofthese laminated plugs of various lengths and it will readily beunderstood that a longer plug could be removed from its socket and ashorter plug put in its place when desirable.

In some instances I have found that the action of the vacuum upon anumber of the teats can be regulated by means of one of the laminatedplugs instead of beingregulated individually as heretofore explainedand, in Fig. 4 of the drawings, I have illustrated an apparatus in whichone of the laminated plugs 14 is inserted in the connection between theteat cup base and the vacuum Vessel, the base being provided with fourteat cup connections 33 each one of which is provided with a valve 34 bymeans of which it can be closed when its teat cup is not in use. Thisapparatus is also provided with a screen 35 which prevents dirt frompassing through to the laminated lug. Also a collar 36 is provided atthe cup end of the laminated plug having a central opening 37 therebyproviding means for modifying the action of the vacuum upon the teatcups.

Besides providing the action of the vacuum upon the teat which has beendescribed, it is desirable in some instances that the glands of the teatbe gently excited by means of pressure upon the walls of the teat tocause an easy and free flow of the milk. To accomplish this I provide ateat cup as illustrated in Fig. 13 having a iexible inner cylindricalwall 38 forming the teat chamber. This flexible wall 38 extendsdownwardly from the mouth of the cup substantially the length of theteat to which the cup is to be applied and is turned out and back uponitself at its lower end forming a cup portion 39, the outer surface ofwhich is in contact with the inner wall of the casing 40 of the cup. Thewall 38 is formed integrally with the cap 41 of the cup and is removablefrom the cup therewith. When the vacuum is acting upon the teat cup, thecup like portion 39 of the inner wall is held in close contact with theinner surface of the teat cup shell by the pressure of the atmosphereand eifectually seals this joint against the entrance of air. The shell40 of the cup is provided withl openings 42 thereby connecting the spaceoutside of the wall 38 with the atmosphere. When this cup is placed uponthe teat and the vacuum acts upon the cup, Vthe pressure of theatmosphere surrounding the flexible wall 38 compresses it upon the teatand when the milk flows and shuts olf the action of vacuum by fillingthe pores or passages in the laminated plug 14, the vacuum is destroyedby the leakage of air, around the teat, into the cup and the flexiblewall 38 is thereby forced, or allowed to go, back to its originalposition, thereby relieving the teat of pressure. It will be noted thatthe pressure is produced upon the teat simultaneously with the drawingor sucking action of the vacuum and the combination of the two actionsresults` in substantially an exact simulation of the sucking of thecalf. In the cup illustrated in Fig. 13 a chamber 43 is providedadjacent to the lower end of the inner cylinder in the position whichwould naturally be occupied by the lower end of the teat so that it willnot be affected by the pressure ofthe wall 38. A screen 44 is alsoprovided in this cup for a purpose similar to the strainer 27illustrated in Fig. 3. This strainer 44, however, is of very simple.construction being lat and formed with an annular rim 45 for supportingit above the bottom of the teat chamber to form a space between thescreen and the upper end of the plug 14. In Fig. 14 I have illustrated asomewhat simpler design of teat cup arranged to produce a slightpressure upon the outer wall of the teat by the action of the vacuum. Inthis form of teat cup the outer wall instead of being conically formed,as in the former instances, is substantially cylindrical andsubstantially the length of the teat to which the cup is to be applied.

In using this cup the action of the vacuum in drawing upon the teattends to expand or enlarge the body'of the teat and thereby Ilering itinto contact with the cylindricalwall 46. This action produces theslight pressure desired. The lower end 47 of the cup is made larger thanthe cylindrical portion so that the end of the teat, which occupies thisspace, will not be affected by this slight irritating or excitingpressure but will be left free to be expanded by the action of thevacuum and thereby freely exude or emit the milk. In this form of teatcup I have provided a double strainer 48 for the purpose of preventingdirt or hair from passing through the cpp to the laminated plug 14.

I have herein described the specific structures which I consider bestadapted for car- 1. A cow milker comprising a vessel maintained under asubstantially constant vacuum, in combination with a suction teat' cup fin communication therewith, and capillary f stant vacuum communicatingtherewith, of

capillary means interposed between the cup and the vessel whereby thesuction action of the vacuum is shut ofi' from the teat to which the cupis attached, by means of the milk flowing therefrom.

3. A cow milker comprising the combination with a suction teat cup and avessel maintained under a substantially constant vacuum communicatingtherewith, of an obstruction provided with capillary passages interposedbetween the cup and the vessel, operating to deter the iiow of milktherethrough and during the passage of the milk shutting od' the freeaction of the vacuum from the cup, and said obstruction offeringsubstantially no obstruction to the passage of air when free of milk.

4. A vacuum cow-milker, comprising the combination with a suction teatcup and a vessel maintained under a substantially conf stant vacuumcommunicating therewith, of a plug or stopper interposed between the cupand vessel, which presents a plurality of substantially capillarypassages for the passage of the milk and air from the lcup to thevessel.

5. A vacuum cow-millier, comprising the combinationV with a suction teatcup anda vessel maintained under a substantially constant vacuumcommunicating therewith, of a laminated plug or stopper interposedbetween the cup and vessel presenting a plurality of thin passages forthe passage of the milk and air from the cup to the vessel.

6. A vacuum cow-milker, comprising the combination with a suction teatcup and a vessel maintained under substantially constant vacuumcommunicating therewith, of a plug interposed between the cup and vesselpresenting a plurality of thin capillary-like passages, and meansassociated therewith for varying the total eective area of saidpassages.

7. A vacuum cow-milker, comprising the combination with a suction teatcup and a vessel maintained under a substantially constant vacuumcommunicating therewith, of

a laminated plug interposed betwen the cup and vessel presenting aplurality of thin .capillary-like passages, the laminations of said plugbeing easily separated for cleaning.

8. A vacuum teat Iup comprising, in combination, a teat Chamber andmeans for cnnecting the cup to a cuum vessel, the lower end of said cupbeing closed by a laminated l plug presenting a plurality of thinpassages,

and means for breaking the vacuum in the teat chamber to permit the easyremoval of thei cup from the teat.

9. A vacuum teat cup comprising, in combination, a teat chamber andmeans for con-- necting the chamber with a vacuum vessel, a

laminated plug in the lower end of the cup presenting a plurality ofcapillary-like passages for the passage of the milk, and a screeninterposed between the teat chamber and the plug.

10. A vacuum teat cup comprising, in combination, a vacuum teat chamberhaving flexible walls adapted to be compressed upon the body of the teatby the action of the vacuum, means for connecting the lower end of thecup to a vacuum vessel, and a laminated plug in the lower end of the cuppresenting a plurality of thin capillary-like passages. L

11. A vacuum'teat cup having a cylindrical teat chamber in its upper endsubstantially the diameter of the teat to which the cup is to beapplied, and a connection to a vacuum vessel at its lower end, saidchamber being enlarged at its lower end for the reception of the end ofthe teat, in combination with a laminated plug interposed be- Y tweenthe chamber and the vacuum vessel and presenting a plurality ofcapillary passages for the passage of the milk.

12. The herein described improvement inl i my hand, this 3rd day ofAugust, 1912, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VCHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY. `Witnesses:

EDWARD F. WmsoN, JOHN R.. LEFEVRE.

